bourguet



F. BOURGUET.

Metallic Wig.

No 1,585. Patented Mar. 8, 1840.

20/153? 4 lau h/fix UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

F. BOURGUET, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

METALLIC WIG.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 1,585, dated May 8, 1840.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANgoIs BOURGUET, of New York city, New York, have invented a new Mode of Wig; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description.

The nature of my invention consists in an apparatus whereby the pressure of the metallic spring may be varied at the will of the wearer.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

1. Every metallic wig is fastened on the head by compression.

2. For this purpose springs are used of steel, one passing from the forehead to the back of the head and denominated archspring in the explanations at foot of the drawing and one or more elastic springs at right angles with the first which compress the sides of the head and thus hold the wig on.

3. If, in the drawing, the oblique spring extending from the point D on either side of the arch-spring and terminating in the metallic plates D D is removed and one of the other transverse springs B, B, B or C, C, C, an idea may be formed of the ordinary skeleton spring of a common wig-viz., one steel bow-crossed at right angles by another and thus compassing the head. These steel bows are elastic like any other springs, such as the main spring of a watch.

4. But the side spring in order to hold the wig well on the head must exercise a considerable lateral pressure, and this in fallibly becomes painful to the wearer.

5. My invention is designed to obviate this. To the ordinary metallic apparatus described in (3) I have, as in the drawing, added a second transverse spring C, C, C", strong and flexible but tempered soft which in whatever position it is bent governs and controls the elastic spring B, B, B, so that the pressure may be increased or diminished with the fingers of the wearer.

6. I have moreover added a metallic plate E, in which the transverse springs terminate and which diminishes the pressure by extending it over a greater surface, and

7. I have added an oblique spring D, E,

running from the above plate to the middle of the arch-spring which fits the wig more closely to the head and controls the real position of the arch-spring.

8. All these springs are made like ordinary steel watch springs and the hair portion of the wig is fastened on to them by the aid of silk net-work, as in the common metallic wig.

9. To a workman who should undertake to make these springs for me, I should say: Temper the spring B, B, B, hard so as to give it great elasticity; and let it be thinner than the spring C, C, C, which must be tempered soft but which has thickness enough to hold the former in any place it C, C, C, may be bent to.

10. To construct the foregoing wig for an individual I apply one of the apparatus to his head and by the aid of the spring D, E I adjust the arch-spring to his head and fasten it in one of the little rivet holes which may be seen in the drawing. Upon this skeleton I proceed to construct the body of the wig, which, when made, the wearer may fit to his head with as much tightness or case as shall suit his con-.

venience.

l/V hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The construction of the metallic wig with an additional transverse piece or spring 3, C, C, tempered soft and flexible so that it may be bent to any degree the wearer pleases and of sufficient thickness to control the elastic spring B, B, B, and 1Lieep it in the position to which it has been ent.

2. I also claim the combination of the side plates for distributing the pressure with the transverse springs B, B, B, and C, C, C as herein described.

8. Lastly I claim in combination with the above the arch-spring A, B, C, D, E, and oblique springs, D, D and D, D the whole being constructed and operating as herein set forth.

F. BOURGUET.

Witnesses:

HENRY R. WINTHROP, A. R. VAN NOSTRAND. 

